Isak Robbers Instructed to Repay Only £1 Each from £1.2 Million Thefts
Individuals of an Italian family of burglars who stole more than £1.2 million valued of goods, among them from former Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 per person.
Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie travelled to the northeastern of England to raid multiple homes in spring 2024.
The foursome were imprisoned for between six and 10 years in May 2025.
At a proceeds of crime hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to pay back £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over £1,135.
Particulars of the Burglaries
The judge was told the gang came by boat in the UK on 27 March 2024 and employed a RV as their "headquarters", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while using a separate vehicle to scout out targets and carry out thefts.
On March 31 they stole over £1m of goods including high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.
The following night, the gang entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole designer handbags, valuables and footwear worth over one hundred thousand pounds.
Following surveillance of the football club's training ground for two days, they then acted at the residence of Swedish player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in money, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.
The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as professional touring burglars, wore gloves and masks, turned their phones on silent as they neared their objectives and attached a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with rubber straps.
They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on April 13.
Court Proceedings and Rulings
Valentino Nikolov had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the identical accusation.
At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had benefited from their crimes to the value of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the affected parties said they had had stolen.
But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual found to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge heard, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he defaulted.
The other three had no assets or property so were ordered to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in prison the consequence if the money was not submitted.
Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "for example operating in Italy in a fast car or possessing a property", the prosecution could initiate further action to "recover the sum outstanding".
